Gang left victim with ‘one-sided Chelsea smile’ in Rambo knife attack at flat

Karon Kelly

Published:17:53Updated:18:17Tuesday 24 March 2015

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A MAN’S face was slashed open with a “Rambo” knife while he was held captive in a flat by three violent vigilantes.

Syed Miah was left with a “one sided Chelsea smile” which needed plastic surgery after the brutal attack at the hands of long-time criminal Fise Ames last September.

When he arrived, he not only faced you, armed with this Rambo knife, but you had also arranged with Colegate he should be armed with a knife and Hession with a large spanner.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the 26-year-old had been lured to a flat in South Shields by a text message from Ames – who was waiting with a large knife.

During a terrifying, hour-long ordeal, Mr Miah was kept prisoner by Ames, 18, Cailan Colegate, 18, who was also armed with a knife and Shaun Hession, 23, who was armed with a spanner.

The trio had believed their victim had been involved in an earlier incident where an underage girl was given drugs.

The court heard Ames cut Mr Miah’s ear with the knife before inflicting the gruesome wound on his face that will leave him scarred for life.

Michael Graham, prosecuting, told the court: “The blade of the knife cut Mr Miah’s left cheek. It was a two-and-a-half inch cut, which was gaping open half and inch and poured with blood. It was a one-sided Chelsea smile.”

The court heard the vicious wound was inflicted in front of three girls, who were also a the flat, and ran out screaming at the sight of what happened.

Ames, of Stoddart Street, South Shields, was jailed for six years after admitting wounding with intent and false imprisonment.

Colegate, of Waskerley Road, Washington, and Hession, of Gaskell Avenue, South Shields, were both found guilty of false imprisonment after a trial.

Colegate was jailed for two years nine months and Hession for two years six months.

Mr Recorder Henry Prosser told Ames: “This was, in my judgement, a premeditated assault with a knife. You telephoned Mr Miah with a false story and persuaded him to come to the flat where you were waiting to carry out this assault upon him.

“When he arrived, he not only faced you, armed with this Rambo knife, but you had also arranged with Colegate he should be armed with a knife and Hession with a large spanner.

“The purpose of arming those people with those weapons was, in my judgement, to make sure he could not and would not attempt to escape.

“He described himself as being absolutely terrified and you would have been aware of that. He was screaming to be allowed to leave and you there were verbally and physically aggressive towards him.”

The court heard Mr Miah has been left afraid to go out of the house and feels “paranoid and scared”.

He told police in a statement that he fears reprisals.

Vic Laffey, defending Ames, who has as long criminal record, told the court the attack happened because Mr Miah was accused of being involved in an incident where an underage girl had been given drugs at a hotel.

The court heard Mr Miah does have convictions related to drugs but he denied involvement.

Mr Laffey added: “The victim did not deserve what he ended up with. The defendant regrets the injuries he caused this young man.

Robin Denny, defending Colegate, who had recently been released from a prison sentence for arson, said: “What happened was over in a very brief period of time.

“No-one foresaw the slashing injury that was caused.”

Graeme Cook, defending Hession, said his client is an “industrious young man” who was the least involved that night.